Microsoft security tries to compete with the big dogs

This week, Microsoft announced that it's expanding the globalization of its security response and research operations to include shops in Ireland and Japan, plus it's launching a preview of a new online security service called Malware Protection Center. This moves Microsoft in the right direction if it plans to compete with the big dogs in the security industry, but Microsoft admittedly still has a ways to go. Read the entire story as presented on CNET Networks' News.com: "Microsoft adds security muscle."

Here's a snippet from the article:

Turning irritation into opportunity

Security used to be just something that Microsoft got hammered on, but... Microsoft now sees it as a market it had not previously tapped. Yet, the company recognizes that some may balk at what could be seen as Microsoft turning lemons into lemonade.

Some of our customers view this a little controversially, in a sense that if we could solve these problems at the root, why is there a need for extra products," Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said this week. "We do live in a world in which the bad guys are also getting smarter all the time. It is important to be able to lock the core infrastructure and then protect around it in a way that is a bit more dynamic."

Some security specialists think that it will take several months before Microsoft's security products will be able to compete with the goods from Symantec, McAfee, and Trend Micro — others think that it will take years. How long do you think it will take before Microsoft truly becomes competitive in the security industry? Join this discussion, and offer your security forecast for Microsoft.

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